This invention relates to sheet aligning and feeding apparatus and in particular to aligning one edge of a sheet against a registration edge while simultaneously feeding the sheet in a forward direction parallel to the registration edge.
This invention is particularly adapted for use with automatic reproduction apparatus for producing multiple copies of original documents. With the introduction of automatic reproduction machines, various devices have been used to feed documents or sheets to be copied onto the platen or copying surface of the reproduction machine.
Many devices for feeding documents rely on the operator manually accurately aligning one edge of the document against a registration edge with the document handler, then automatically transporting the document in a direction parallel to the registration edge while maintaining the document in contact with the edge.
Other devices have been used which do not rely on the operator to manually align one edge of the sheet but rather which permits the operator to more casually approximate the feeding orientation of a sheet being fed relative to a side registration edge. Still other devices have more affirmatively taken control of a document and automatically oriented the document along one edge while feeding in a second direction.